Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
“Perhaps,” I agreed. “But regardless, it is a beautiful home.”
“I don’t—oh no, my consort. The prince had Alrek gut the house and make what you see now. It was a dark little hovel that is now truly a jewel, though quite small.”
Small to her was a mansion to me. “How many rooms?”
“Only ten. The rest of the house is two stories, only your rooms are one level, as the prince wanted you to have these large windows so you could see the forest.”
“I don’t understand how I can even see the forest because now it should be…late December?”
“The forest here is set beneath a natural canopy of stone outside, and yes, my consort, it is indeed late December now. Your friend Ode had to return home for her Christmas holiday—which we know is only Yule—but I thought not to argue with her. She will be back afterward. She promised the prince.”
“Okay. I should call her. Do I have a phone?”
“I do not know, as I have been away from you.”
“Which again, I’m gonna fix,” I said, then called for Dae-Jung, who appeared quickly, like he always did, except looking a bit annoyed at the moment. “Do I have a phone?”
“Of course, but everyone is on their way to you now, so being indisposed when they arrive would be terribly rude. More importantly, you need to eat and change. That sleep shirt you’re currently wearing is not at all flattering and a bit risqué, I would imagine, for the prince’s taste. I do not believe it is what you want to be wearing when you have visitors calling on you.”
He had a point.
“Perhaps a trip back to the bathroom to shower, brush your teeth, and change. I brought a selection of your clothes with me when I was summoned, and have arranged them in the dismally small closet for you.”
“Dismally small?”
“You’ll see. It’s abominable.”
“You’re picking up bad habits from Tiago, like his snobbery.”
“The rajan is always correct in his assessments.”
I was ridiculously happy that he was still around to turn up his nose at things.
“Do you need help to get moving?”
“Yes,” I answered, but when he moved forward a step, I held up my hand to still him. “Brenna can help me. You keep doing what you’re doing.”
He was about to leave, but I stopped him.
“Yes, my consort?”
“You’re going to be my courtier from now on,” I informed him, having been thinking about it for a while, and even more so since finding out about Leda. Isabella had been able to walk her out of hell because Leda belonged to her. I wanted Dae-Jung to have that same protection. “I’ve always thought of you like my courtier, never a servant, more of a friend, and so we’re going to make that change in title. Also, I made Keres my courtier and told her she was second after you, so you’re going to have company.”
No response from him, only mute staring. His mouth hanging open told me I’d surprised him. I did that a lot.
“From this moment on, you’re the prince consort’s courtier, so no one will mistake you for anything else and no one can ever take you from me.”
He bowed low. “Already you made me part of your house and now give me a title. I am overwhelmed, my consort.”
I knew him better now, and he did not enjoy showing any emotion in front of others. “Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say. You’re excused.”
There were welling tears when he straightened up, and he got out of there fast. When I turned to Brenna, she was smiling at me.
“What?”
“You are, without a doubt, the most thoughtful man I have ever met.”
“Thanks,” I said, watching as her smile fell away and she bit her lip. “What’s with you?”
“I do not want to anger the prince with my presence.”
“You won’t, and even if you do, that’s all right because Varic can’t remove any of you from my service, only I can. I’m his consort, just as the queen is the king’s con—fuck,” I gasped, grabbing her hand. “Is the queen all right?”
“Yes,” Isabella said, walking into the room. “The queen is well because you saved me.”
When she reached me, I couldn’t help it. I grabbed her tight and started crying.
“Oh, my love,” she soothed me, rocking me gently, hugging me back even as she trembled. “You died in my arms, and only Varic saved you.”
I had to hear the whole story but I also needed to be clean. Brenna and Isabella together walked me into the bathroom. Once they were sure I could stand on my own, they left me alone to strip down and get in the shower. I spent a long time under the warm water absorbing how good it felt. When I finally emerged, I brushed my teeth and found that I could make it to the closet alone. Was it smaller than the one at home? Yes. But my old apartment in NOLA was too in comparison. It was a perfectly reasonable-sized closet for the house it was in whether Tiago thought so or not.